No, you won't learn who the stars of karate are by playing THQ's All-Star Karate. Rather than a licensed game featuring the biggest names in martial arts, All-Star Karate is a fighting game in the same casual Wii series as All-Star Cheer Squad. And though the final product may not turn out to be to everyone's tastes, there's something about a casual-oriented fighting game that sounds fascinating. Or, it would sound fascinating if not for all the minigames.
All-Star Karate uses the Wiimote and optional MotionPlus for motion-based karate moves in training. That training can then be put to the test in the Challenge Mode. Also neat (and likely to be overshadowed by the minigame-ness of the whole thing): a kata editor that lets you put together your own choreographed demonstration.
All-Star Karate will be available this spring. Beware of the stinky socks!
A kata editor? that is actually pretty damn boss. I hope this game isn't as crappy as it probably will be...though if there's any reference to actual karate styles, I'll be thoroughly impressed. I might give this a rental at the very least and see if I can make some actual katas that I know.
This is the type of game that'd be better on Natal. Whats the point of throwing out hand gestures for attacks and all that if you can't do a real kick to execute a virtual kick. This game has potential in the casual market but it won't have enough depth ... also interested to see the accuracy of the gestures. If the gestural controls aren't perfect the game will be nigh unplayable.
Firstly Natal isn't even out yet so god knows how accurate its responses will be.... Secondly people have proven they can't even handle the simple motion controls of the Wii.
This is evidenced by the slew of accident reports ranging from tendinitis to hairline fractures ...... you honestly think a bunch of Halo knuckleheads are going to be able to articulate anything that won't land them in a full body cast .... well ???
I'm just saying this type of game seems to be better suited to Natal. I agree with you that we don't know how accurate it will be as we haven't seen anything concrete. But, the Wii cheer game (my daughter has it) works pretty good but it also involves styleized poses where as this is more of a real time fighting game. I just don't see it working that well. I'm just saying this type of application seems more suited to Natal than PSMC or the Wii mote.
"If the gestural controls aren't perfect the game will be nigh unplayable. "
This is the kind of thing that's going to be a problem on Wii OR Natal, though. There's nothing inherently wrong with the Wiimote's accuracy. It's all a matter of programming, which comes down to developer laziness/effort/knowledge/etc.
...and since these same developers who keep making these crappy Wii games with sub-standard controls are by-and-large going to be the same ones providing Natal with most of it's content... Well, I can't imagine that Natal will fare much better, basically.
Again, on Natal you could actually use your body and (allegedly) the machine could track the movement. It would seem there would be more for error. Also, the fact that you could kick and have that realized as an actual kick is a lot better than some hand gesture for a kick. Want to side kick? Do a side kick, not possible on the Wii or Playstation Arc. This application is better suited for Natal, in my opinion.
I agree that this game would probably be better suited to Natal - and this is coming from somebody who owns a Wii, doesn't own 360, and thinks Natal is generally pointless and will mostly turn out a lot like EyeToy Plus...
This is about trying to achieve a position with your whole body and one or even two controllers can't measure that. Using a camera, especially since Natal has a fancy camera that can do 3D in some way thus meaning it might be able to actually achieve some degree of accuracy in all the things it's supposed to be able to do, has a better chance of providing a realistic experience.
Of course, most people don't need to pay out $40 or whatever for a video game to tell them they can't do high kicks - so maybe the Wii controls will be more fun precisely because the system can't possibly tell whether you got the move right...
With all the news of Tatsunoko vs Capcom I was, I will admit, feeling a bit of regret about getting rid of the Wii. Thank you for reminding me it's a cesspool.
This reminds me... where the hell is my first or third person beat 'em up on the Wii? All I want is a game where you run around with the nunchuck and punch with the Wiimote and nunchuck. Sadly, I count the lack of such a game as yet another in a long list of failures from third parties on the Wii.
Nintendo hasn't made one either you know. Maybe if they spend some time innovating themselves and gave core gamers what they wanted it wouldn't all be on 3rd parties to give gamers good experiences.
Nintendo is the only company, with a tiny handful of exceptions, developing games for the Wii that would in any way, shape or form qualify as either quality and/or innovative, though.
While I certainly wouldn't mind if Nintendo were to make a brawler on the Wii, I don't really expect that kind of game from them. I do expect that type of content from Capcom, Sega and Konami, though (I realize I'm living in the past somewhat :p ).
I suppose you're right, though... Nintendo is already pretty much single-handedly keeping the system afloat in nearly every kind of game... what's one more genre? It's just more money being left on the table for whoever wants it, really.
